


Serpent's Tongue

by Tell_Me_Tales



Series: Stuff I'll Never Finish ...Oops [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 'cause I'm lazy as they come, ...and I'm still not likely to do anything more with this, Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Gen, Hogwarts Founders in Current Era, I've got something of a plot planned out, Magic Gone Wrong, Ward of Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 04:53:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7787494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tell_Me_Tales/pseuds/Tell_Me_Tales
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The history books all agreed that Salazar Slytherin left Hogwarts; all of them also completely <i>failed</i> to specify his destination. Well... It took more than a few centuries, but that's one mystery solved, at least.</p><p><b>Fair Warning:</b> This isn't likely to get past the (prologue and) first five chapters. Not because I don't know where I want to take this (because I have that more or less nailed down) but because I'm too lazy to write it all out and I've got too many story ideas to even try making them all a reality. Sorry. But I wrote this little bit, so may as well share it. Enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

An explosion went off over the head table in the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Perhaps, however, the term 'explosion' requires a bit more explanation in this instance; for there was neither fire nor heat during this event, only a startling blast of both air and magic followed by a bright flash of light and a loud snapping noise that would leave the ears of many ringing for several long minutes.

To say that the students and faculty were surprised by the display would have been a dreadful understatement. It did, in fact, cause quite the panic amongst those gathered for the evening's feast. What brought the hysteria to a halt, rather ironically, was yet further shock.

A small, previously unnoticed figure (to the students, the faculty had little choice but to notice when it crashed onto the middle of their table) pushed itself into a sitting position, sending a number of dishes to the floor as they were knocked from their resting place. The figure looked first at the staff, warily noting the drawn wands, and then over at the panicked student populace. And then it caught sight of its own reflection.

The child, for indeed the figure was that of a young boy, stilled immediately. His breathing came to a hitched stop as he took in his own young features, wide eyes, and too-large clothes. The boy's expression twisted and his face grew red before he took in a sharp breath.

The entire hall froze as another pulse of magic swept through the area and the child howled just one word: " **GRIFFIN!** "

It wouldn't be for another handful of years, when a bespectacled boy with wild hair and emerald-green eyes would come to start his education in magic, before anyone would realize just how commonplace such an event was at Hogwarts. Really, compared to later years, the whole thing was hardly of interest at all.


	2. Properly Sorted

_ Five Years Later... _

Salazar used one hand to tip the Sorting Hat back on his head so that he could look out at the house tables. He blinked at all the transfixed stares and the dead silence that now encompassed the Great Hall before raising a solitary eyebrow.

One student, from the table under the green and silver banners, managed to choke out the question on everyone's mind. "Salazar Slytherin...was just Sorted into...Gry--Gryffindor?"

That one sentence was enough to break the spell of disbelief that had hung in the air only a moment before, and a number of things happened at once: fierce whispering broke out all around the room, a grin fitting enough for the Cheshire Cat spread over Salazar's face, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore began to laugh, and the current Head of Slytherin House stormed from the hall--swiftly followed by the Head of Gryffindor House.

_ 'Well, that went much as I expected it would,' _ Salazar thought as he hopped down from the stool and started toward Gryffindor Table,  _ 'What do you think?' _

_ 'I think you would have done just fine in Ravenclaw, or perhaps even Hufflepuff,' _ the Sorting Hat responded,  _ 'But far be it from me to tell  _ **_you_ ** _ what to do, Salazar. Especially once you've already made up your mind.' _

_ 'I knew there had been a reason I liked you, Hat.' _

The mental conversation ended as the boy took a seat across from a redheaded youth with his mouth hanging open (though he seemed to finally realize this, as he closed it quickly) and a dark-haired first-year with a scar on his forehead. However, before he could say a single word to anyone, a pair of third-year twins confiscated the seats to either side of him, shooing first-years away in order to claim their spots on the bench.

"That was rather unsporting of you, Little Snake," the first twin said as he threw his left arm around Salazar's shoulders.

"Indeed," the second twin agreed while copying the other's gesture and placing his right arm over his twin's, "And here you had led us to believe that being a copycat was beneath a slytherin."

"Not so much as even a  _ hint _ of a warning before we went home last summer."

"You weren't even supposed to start attending classes until next year."

The twins finished together, "For shame, for shame, Salazar!"

"And a hearty 'hello' to you, too," Salazar said as he shrugged off their arms, "Fred, George, perhaps you both will be good enough to introduce me to who I can only assume is another one of your brothers?" He gestured at the redhead seated across from them.

The twins looked absolutely affronted.

"Us?" inquired Fred.

"Good?" demanded George.

Both twins declared, "Never!"

Salazar rolled his eyes at their antics.

Fred and George exchanged smiles before beginning introductions. "Little Snake, this is our youngest brother--"

"--Ronald Weasley. And, Ronnikins, this is Salazar Snape--"

"--Currently the ward of our dear Potion Professor--"

"--And Founder of the one--"

"--and only--"

"House of Evil Snakes!"

Salazar elbowed the twin on his right in the ribs and kicked the twin on his left in the shin. "That's 'House of Slytherin,' you incompetent pair of dunderheads!" he hissed out, taking the time to glare of each of them in turn.

"Gee, Georgie," Fred wheezed slightly as he spoke, rubbing at his side, "You'd think he'd let us get away with that, seeing as we  _ are _ in his house."

"Oh, yes, Freddie," George agreed as he pulled his leg up onto the bench and made a show of checking for bruises, "But it seems that he is still quite unable to take a joke at his own expense."

"You both got no more than you deserved -- for embarrassing me, if nothing else -- and you know it." Salazar crossed his arms over his chest and continued glaring at the two twins.

"Well, if that's how you're going to be--"

"--We'll see you later, Little Snake."

With that, George pulled down his trouser-leg and both twins left to rejoin the other third-years at the green and silver table.

The Founder of Slytherin huffed softly before turning his attention back to the boys across from him. "I apologize on their behalf," he said, then shifted to look directly at Ronald Weasley, "Though I imagine you, at least, are quite used to them." He uncrossed his arms and offered the other boy his hand. "You may address me as Salazar, if you please."

Ronald stared at the hand as if he expected the appendage to spontaneously grow fangs and bite him.

"Well," Salazar said as he began to pull his hand back, the smile on his face dissipating, "I understand that--" His words cut off in surprise when the dark-haired boy beside the young Weasley reached out and caught his hand.

"I'm Harry," he said quickly as he gave the redhead a glance, "Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter, of course," Salazar voice dropped in volume a bit as he said this, but his smile returned, "I've heard a lot about you; but then, everyone has."

Ronald and Harry shared a nervous look, before Harry protested, "Well, I don't--"

Salazar released the other boy's hand before he waved the words away. "It should be interesting to see what proves to be true and what is mere rumor. Regardless, though, it's good to actually meet you."

Both boys relaxed a bit upon hearing this, but the two missing house heads chose that moment to re-enter the hall, cutting off whatever they might have said in response.


	3. Morning Rituals

"Do you think we should wake him?" Harry asked as he stared at the one bed that still had its curtains drawn shut.

The other boys looked at each other. "Well," Dean started, "there's only about fifteen minutes left until breakfast starts. And the alarm that went off earlier was probably supposed to wake all of us."

"I think he did wake up," Seamus put in with a frown, "Said something, but I couldn't make out what it was. Anyway, I think he just went back to sleep after that."

"He complained that it was too early and he wanted to sleep more, but that was almost an hour ago," came Harry's distracted replied, "He needs to get up, or he'll miss breakfast."

"You three aren't really thinking about waking him up, are you?" asked Ron.

"Well, yeah." Harry turned to look at the redhead.

"But he's Salazar _Slytherin_!" Ron protested.

Harry frowned. "He seemed nice enough last night. And I thought your brothers called him Salazar Snape?"

Ron scoffed. "Like that's any better."

"W-we should wake him," Neville spoke up, pale and stuttering but looking determined all the same, "H-he's our housemate."

"The Sorting Hat _did_ put him in Gryffindor," Seamus said with a frown.

Dean picked up the thought and added, "More importantly, he's our dormmate. We're supposed to look out for each other."

"Right," Seamus agreed, "So... Who's going to wake him up, then?"

No one was in a hurry to volunteer for the job.

"Fine," Harry sighed, "I'll do it."

Harry approached the bed with a determined air, right up until he reached out to grab the curtain. He looked back only to find three of the four other boys had climbed on top of Seamus' bed, attempting to get a better view of whatever happened next. Neville, however, was hovering at the far side of the room, next to the door.

"Go on, Harry!" encouraged Seamus in an excited half-whisper.

Green eyes rolled, and Harry turned back to the task at hand. He steeled himself before throwing the scarlet barriers aside. The result was rather anticlimactic.

Sunlight spilled into the previously dark space; and all Salazar did was groan softly, turn onto his side, and pull the covers over his head.

Harry looked back at the others with an expression that clearly asked what he was supposed to do next.

Ron was the one that spoke up this time. "Poke 'im!"

So Harry did just that.

Salazar groaned and wriggled his way further from the prodding finger. _"Ssstop that. Let me sssleep."_ The plea sounded absolutely pitiful to Harry; but, for whatever reason, it caused the springs in Seamus' mattress to creak and moan as the three boys behind him started at the words. Neville gave a small squeak from his place on the other side of the room. Harry rolled his eyes again at his drommates' overreaction.

 _"No,"_ Harry replied with another poke to the blanket-cocooned boy's back, _"It'sss nearly breakfassst. Get up!"_

Salazar pulled the covers off of his face and glared halfheartedly at Harry. "So be it," the boy grumbled.

The sudden swell of magic in the room caught the boys by surprise. Harry managed to duck in time, as did Ron and Dean, but Seamus wasn't quite fast enough and got smacked in the face by a pair of trousers that flew past them. All five boys watched in stunned silence as Salazar was undressed before he even crawled out from under his blankets and dressed for the day by the time he stumbled the three or so steps over to his nightstand.

"One day," Salazar muttered as he grabbed the comb off the wooden surface and then began to rake it through his dark locks, "I will find a spell that brushes hair -- _without_ leaving bald-spots behind."

"How did you _do_ that?" Ron gaped.

Salazar paused. He eyed Ron for a moment before responding. "Ask me again after you pass your Charms O.W.L."

"That's five years from now!" he protested.

Harry's brow furrowed and he asked, "What's an 'O-W-L'?"

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," Seamus said, "It's a special end-of-the-year exam that the fifth-years take."

"Best to hurry it up, Salazar," Dean put in, "We've only a few minutes left until breakfast now."

Salazar slipped his new wand up his sleeve before holding out his left hand and intoning, " _Accio_ Hat."

This time, Neville got clipped on the ear by the Sorting Hat's wide brim when it breezed past him.

A light frown took over Salazar's features for a moment as he caught the hat. "Apologies, Neville. I did not mean to hit you." Placing the hat on his head, Salazar added, "Ready when the lot of you are."

* * *

Through the use of no less than three separate short-cuts, Salazar managed to get all five of his dormmates and himself to the Great Hall just as Professor McGonagall began handing out class schedules.

"So, you did manage to get out of bed today," Professor McGonagall greeted the boys, just a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Salazar was sure his housemates missed the small tell entirely; most did, with how sternly the older witch portrayed herself. "It was getting to the point where I had thought I'd have to wake you myself, Mister Snape."

Salazar grinned. "No need for you to do that, Professor. The others seem to have nominated Harry for that task."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you slept through the alarm in the first-year dorm," McGonagall added. Her amused smile was now steady, if subtle, and her tone had warmed enough that the other first-years finally realized that they weren't in trouble with their new head of house just yet. "I was warned, after all, that you could sleep through -- How did he put it last night? Oh, yes. -- 'a herd of a hundred hippogriffs being chased by an enraged dragon'."

Salazar allowed his features to fall into a pout while he accepted his schedule. "Exaggeration, I assure you."


	4. Tensions Brewing

"Salazar!"

The dark-haired boy glanced up when he heard his name called. It wouldn't be one of his gryffindor classmates, he knew. _They_ had given up on pestering him before classes were done for the day after the first half of the week. Even gryffindor firsties were smart enough to realize that being continually brushed-off -- no matter how politely it was done -- meant that your presence wasn't wanted. (Though he _did_ make sure he was more...open for conversation, after they had finished the day's lessons.) So that left the slytherins gathered on the other side of the corridor.

"Well?" Draco Malfoy said imperiously, crossing his arms.

Salazar raised an eyebrow at the tone. Normally, he'd force Draco to either come to him or keep fussing from a distance; but there wasn't a chance of Draco allowing himself to be surrounded by gryffindors and, at the moment, keeping the peace was worth more than the subtle powerplay.

Salazar made sure to pass every other gryffindor before stopping in the middle of the corridor. He then folded his hands behind his back and blinked lazily at the blond.

Draco huffed, but he met Salazar halfway.

"Godbrother," Salazar greeted. He almost laughed when he heard whom he suspected to be Ron choke behind him, but he managed to keep his countenance neutral.

"Bloody hell! How many evil gits is he related to?"

Yes, that was definitely Ronald Weasley.

Draco shot a dark glare at the redhead over Salazar's shoulder, but seemingly ignored it otherwise. Salazar was certain Ron would pay for it in some manner, at a later time, not now.

"Why are you in Gryffindor?" Draco demanded.

Salazar raised an eyebrow again, but let it slide. "It's where the Sorting Hat placed me. Generally, students are Sorted based upon both their own talents and whichever house has the most important lessons to teach them."

Said hat made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort from its place atop Salazar's head. "Putting him in Slytherin would have been redundant. Wrote the book, this one did." The slytherin-turned-gryffindor smirked a bit, but then the Hat went on to add, "Which is why, though he lies rarely, one shouldn't make a habit of taking anything he says at face value. 'Twas more a case of him Sorting himself than anything I did."

 _'Quiet yourself, Hat, or you may shortly find yourself feeding the fire under someone's cauldron.'_ Out loud, Salazar simply stated, "And now, you have proven that you are indeed Godric's hat."

Draco first paled, then flushed. He wasn't the only slytherin to react (overreact, in Salazar's opinion) to the news; they all seemed disquieted. The founder couldn't see the gryffindors' reactions without turning around though, so he merely assumed their expressions held similar discomfort.

Draco recovered, at least somewhat. "You... You _chose_ to be in Gryffindor!?"

A wide grin suddenly split his face. "Yes, I did. The reasons for the decision are my own, but I am willing to share one of them with you."

"What could possibly make you want to be a gryffindor?!" Draco's loud voice bounced off the corridor walls in a fashion that Salazar found annoying, but he ignored the slight echo.

He grabbed Draco's shoulder and leaned forward. The Sorting Hat's brim brushed against the blond's hair as Salazar whispered into his ear, "How better to conquer a rival than from within? I have long thought Godric's House in need of someone to teach them some sense. I have merely taken hold of the opportunity presented me."

Professor Snape swept down the corridor and ordered the first-years into the classroom before Draco had any chance to respond.

* * *

Salazar glared at the small, squat jar set in front of him.

He'd ignored it earlier when he'd seen it on his nightstand; it having showed up some time between his falling asleep last night and awakening this morning. He _had_ been hoping that he wouldn't be seeing the offending object in the future, but he honestly should have known better than to think that he would make it through the entire day without being confronted by it again. Seeing no better recourse, Salazar began studiously ignoring the container, much as he had that morning.

"Mister Potter..." Professor Snape uncharacteristically trailed off, almost as if he'd been distracted. It was enough to pull Salazar from his brooding and back to the present.

When the professor didn't continue, Harry hesitantly replied, "Here, Sir."

The rest of roll call passed uneventfully.

"There are ingredients in the closet and the instructions for the potion are on the board. Read them carefully. You may begin," Professor Snape told the class, though he was gazing intently at Salazar.

When Salazar moved to retrieve the necessary items from the cupboard, the professor stopped him. "Mister Potter," Snape said, still staring Salazar down, "Gather the required ingredients for your partner and yourself."

Harry glanced between them nervously before saying, "Yes, Professor Snape."

"Professor?" Salazar said in an inquiring tone that did nothing to fool the potion master.

Snape didn't speak, merely snatched the jar from the table and held it out to the first-year.

"There's really no need for that," the boy argued. He folded his hands behind his back and took a small step away.

"I made you well aware, before the start of term, that I expected you to use it every time you so much as _thought_ of entering a potion lab."

"And I made you aware that I see no reason for it. None of the potions in the first-years' curriculum react to human contamination."

"I care little if you see reason or not," Professor Snape bit out. By now, their conversation had gained the attention of everyone in the room.

"I--" Salazar stopped when Snape flicked his wand and the Sorting Hat flew off his head to land neatly on a peg by the classroom door.

"Now, Mister Snape."

Salazar swallowed his planned retort back down. "Yes, Professor," he said before accepting the jar begrudgingly and pressing his lips into a thin line -- which Snape noted absently, along with a fleeting thought of the boy finding trouble too often, if he was picking up such mannerisms from his 'Aunt Minnie.'

The professor looked around the rest of the room and then barked out, "Well? What are you waiting for? Get started!"

Salazar sat down at his desk and tried to incinerate the hated jar with his eyes alone.

"What is it?" Harry asked him as he returned to his seat beside the sulking boy.

"Inert Solution," was Salazar's short response. Seeing Harry's questioning look, he explained further, "It stops the chemical and magical reactions in most other potions. It's a safety and preventative sort of thing; but first-year potions are rather tame, and I see no need for it. Not that I've been given a choice in the matter."

He had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and taken the leather thong out of his hair as he spoke. Salazar then twisted the top off, gave a faint grimace, and used his fingers to scoop some of the potion out of the jar. "It also has an unpleasant consistency. Not surprisingly, it has earned the common name of 'Potion Master's Grease'."

"Oh," Harry said before leaning forward to whisper, "Is that why--"

"Yes," Salazar cut him off. He made a face as he worked the potion into his hair. "That is precisely why, but I wouldn't let him hear you asking about such, if I were you." Harry didn't speak after that and Salazar began applying the unfortunate substance to his face and neck.

Towards the end of the lesson, when Neville Longbottom managed to blow up his cauldron and turn a boil curing potion into a boil _causing_ potion, Salazar would admit (if only to himself) that the Inert Solution might have been a better idea than he had originally thought.


	5. A Teachers' Meeting

The Saturday following the first complete school week had long since been the day of the year's first teachers' meeting. This had been a Hogwarts tradition for the past two-hundred years or so. How did they know? It was quite simple, really. It was the _only_ teachers' meeting that Professor Binns consistently remembered to attend.

Severus Snape waited impatiently for the stragglers to take their seats. The sooner the meeting began, the sooner it could end. After what the potion professor saw as an unnecessary three minutes of shuffling, everyone had taken their seats and only one chair was left unoccupied. No one paid this any mind. Trelawney would drift in about a half-hour late, spout something nonsensical, and leave shortly thereafter. She always did.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, quieting the assembled staff. "Hello, everyone," he began with a cheerful smile and twinkling eyes, "I trust all of you have settled into your teaching duties by this point." There was a general sound of agreement and more than a few nodding heads. "Excellent! Have there been any problems or concerns that need to be brought to everyone's attention?"

And so, Severus resigned himself to listening about out-of-date text books, decrepit flying brooms, and all other manner of needs the budget couldn't meet. He didn't bother to bring up the over-worn cauldrons and scrub brushes sitting in his classroom, nor the various wardstones in the Slytherin Dorms that weren't holding spells for longer than a two month period before they needed to be re-cast; it wasn't as if the budget would accommodate him any more than it did the others.

* * *

Two hours later found the room cleared of all but the four house heads.

"Well, that went better than last year, at least," Minerva commented.

"Indeed," Severus drawled, "Sybill failed to make an appearance at all, this time."

"Someone will have to check on her once we're finished," Filius put in.

Severus scowled. "Not me. The lot of you forced me into it the last time she was absent. I will _not_ be doing it twice."

"I'll do it."

"Thank you, Pomona," Minerva said, reaching across the table to pat the other woman's hand. "Now that the children have been put to bed," the transfiguration professor continued, referring to the rest of the school's faculty, "was there anything they brought up that we should make a priority?"

Pomona sighed. "I suppose the greenhouses can wait another year."

"And my charms on the student desks will hold for another year, as well," Filius said in a similar tone.

"I didn't hear anything overly pressing," Severus began, "but Hooch is correct. It has been nearly a decade since the school's brooms have been replaced. Those Comets are reaching the end of their life-cycle. They'll need to be switched out before they become unsafe."

"Noted. I'll find a way to work the brooms into the budget next year." Minerva's lips thinned in disapproval. "I'm afraid every knut we might have scraped together for anything this year has already been used to ensure that damned stone's safety."

Severus hummed softly. "That reminds me..."

"You have something to say about the stone, Severus?" Filius asked curiously.

"No, although the potions will still require the next few days to finish brewing," the potion professor admitted, "I merely wondered if Salazar had been getting into any trouble?"

Minerva's brow furrowed in confusion. "Aside from absconding with the Sorting Hat, he's been very well behaved this week. Why do you ask, Severus? Has he done something?"

"There was an argument on Friday."

Minerva's eyes took on a sharper focus and her lips pressed into a firm line for a second time in as many minutes. "Well? What did he do?"

Severus' lips twitched upwards at the corners. "Nothing of consequence, Minerva. The argument was between Salazar and myself, and it has already been resolved."

"Oh, thank Merlin," the Head of Ravenclaw muttered.

Pomona snorted in a rather unladylike fashion.

Severus spared the two an annoyed glance. "I was merely asking  because he seems to have picked up a few of your more infamous habits. The lip thinning, in particular. It was almost disconcerting actually, to see Salazar mimic your disapproving stare so very well."

Filius burst into giggles as soon as the youngest house head finished speaking, and Pomona wasn't far behind him. She took one look at Minerva's gobsmacked expression and promptly fell into her own fit of cackling.

"At least I'll be able to say I taught him _something_ , I suppose," Minerva responded when she found her voice again.

"That is the thing, isn't it?" Filius commented, "Do you think there will be _anything_ on the first-year syllabus he doesn't know already?"

"It's unlikely," Severus muttered, "He was fifty-six years old before the incident that brought him here, or rather, _now._ While he might be a child in most ways, he was still one of the most educated wizards of his time and he remembers much of what he learned during those years."

The Ravenclaw Head sighed. "I suppose you're right, Severus. I'd just like to think we've managed some sort of advancement in almost a thousand years."

"He might learn something in Herbology," Pomona offered, "Looked curious about some of the plants in the green houses. Exotics and hybrids, mostly."

"I know there are some transfiguration techniques that have been invented since the founders' time," Minerva added, "though the first isn't addressed until third-year."

Filius shook his head. "His school years are going to leave him rather bored, if hybrid plants and a few new spell techniques are all we have for him."

"And a bored gryffindor is one that finds trouble," Minerva said, discontent painted across her face.

The Slytherin Head made a small sound of amusement before he said, "That is inconsequential. Salazar _is_ Slytherin. He'll find trouble regardless. The only question is whether or not you'll ever know about it. As for being bored, well, Salazar didn't insist on being enrolled as a student _this_ year because he was interested in the course work."

The other three house heads glanced at each other before Minerva asked, "What do you mean, Severus? We assumed the headmaster had arranged Salazar's early enrollment."

"The headmaster did authorize and arrange for the earlier enrollment, but Salazar was the one that requested it. Incessantly."

There was silence for a moment, before Pomona Sprout gave in to her impatience and demanded, "Well? Go on and explain now, Severus. It isn't fair to tease us like this."

Severus rolled his eyes. "It isn't that difficult to figure out," he stated, "I ought to leave the three of you to put it together yourselves."

"Come now, Severus," Filius encouraged, "Don't be so stingy with your knowledge."

"Severus Snape, you will tell me, right now, what you know about one of my gryffindors!"

Another eye roll, this time accompanied by a sigh that could almost be classified as melodramatic. "Very well," the Slytherin Head agreed and then smirked ever-so-slightly, "Just think for a moment, who do you suppose we would likely be discussing at this very moment, if Salazar had not been Sorted this year? Who would he have better access to if he were one of this year's firsties, rather than next year's? And who, might I ask you, has a rather infamous connection to the greatest mystery our esteemed headmaster has placed before Hogwarts' resident mischief seeker?"

Black eyes glinted in amusement as Severus Snape watched his colleagues put it all together.

"Harry Potter?" Minerva said in disbelief, "Salazar was enrolled early because of Mister Potter?"

"Indeed."


	6. Stirring and Bubbling

"You weren't at breakfast this morning."

Salazar glanced over at the man that had just entered the room. "I ate in the kitchen, with the Gremlins."

"House Elves," Severus corrected as he approached the boy, or rather, the boiling cauldrons behind him.

Salazar wrinkled his nose and replied, "'House Elves,' the phrase makes them sound tamed; like a mugglebreed pet. They aren't pets. You can't tame an intelligent being. You either break them, or ally them. The Hogwarts Gremlins are allies."

Severus lifted the stasis charm on one of the cauldrons and began stirring the brew in counterclockwise circles. The silence reigned for a long moment, only broken by the bubbling of three different potion brews, and then, "'Gremlins' it is."

Salazar's lips twitched into something between a smile and a smirk.

"Now, have you figured out what these potions do?"

A frustrated scowl dashed the previous satisfaction from the young wizard's face.

"No," the boy admitted in a huff. He lifted a hand to tug at a lock of his black hair, but released the greased strands in disgust. "I hate this slime," Salazar groused under his breath before raising his voice to elaborate on his answer, "I have concluded that one is a toxin that will target the nervous system. I suspect it would cause paralysis, and possibly death. What I do not know, is how long the finished poison will take to do its work, and if the paralysis will be permanent, should it fail to kill. The other two are both antidotes or preventatives -- I'm uncertain as to which -- and neither is for the poison in the first cauldron, but I am unable to deduce what it is they counteract. I am still missing important information about all three brews."

The professor hummed in wordless agreement, "You have, however, compiled more knowledge about these brews than most would have been able to. You have only been able to study them from nearly three-quarters into their brewing process."

Salazar scowled deeper. "Helga would have know this much within the first five minutes, and been able to continue their brewing on her own by the end of the second day," he paused before adding, "The last two, at any rate. The first she would have likely disposed. She was disinterested, to say the least, in poisons that cause harm."

"You speak highly of her," Severus observed, "Am I correct in assuming that she was the potion master of the castle when Hogwarts was founded?"

"No more than she deserves," Salazar stated, "And you are correct. Helga was the primary poison maker when we formed Hogwarts, though she was inclined towards antidotes and healing draughts. The only time I ever witnessed her brew a toxin was to prove she had the skill to do so. She vanished it shortly after."

Severus chose not to say anything for a long moment as he focused on his brewing.

"You sat with the Potter boy on Friday." It was not _quite_ an accusation, but there was a definite undertone to the seemingly mild statement.

Salazar made a small sound of agreement in the back of his throat, but otherwise remained quiet as he watched Severus add ingredients to the cauldron.

"You also made a scene in the middle of your first potion class."

Salazar hesitated for a second, his green-hazel eyes glancing up at the potion professor's face. "Potter is something you can't see clearly. I sought to provide a buffer for both you and him. As for the...incident in class, I--" he grimaced and forced himself continue, "I lost control of myself, and forgot my place. I shouldn't have argued with you in front of the students, especially the first-years. I apologize, Severus."

The potion master gave the cauldron a single stir clockwise and then placed it back under a stasis charm. Severus turned to look at the young Founder of Slytherin. "I accept your apology, Salazar. I trust there will be no further arguments over the Inert Solution?"

"No," Salazar agreed as he shook his head, "Longbottom proved to be a very good explanation of your reasoning. ...Actually, I've decided that Longbottom will be joining my table along with Potter. I doubt you see him clearly, either. And Thomas will be glad to trade for Granger, after Friday, which allows her to escape a shared table with Patel and Brown. ...Yes, that should work, if--" Salazar's eyes darted back to Severus from the patch of wall they had strayed to.

" _You've_ decided, have you?" Severus raised an amused eyebrow at his charge and the boy graced him with a chagrin smile.

"Yes, well, keeping Longbottom with me will hopefully make the classroom a bit safer. I just need to ask if..." Salazar's smile turned sheepish. "If there are another two bottles of Inert Solution I might have? The one you gave me won't last the whole year between Potter, Longbottom, and I."

"There are," Severus said, a smirk not quite hidden behind his normally impassive mask, "And you may have them, provided that you keep those two in line."

Salazar nodded once. "That shouldn't be difficult. Both of them are easy enough to handle."

"Very well then. I--" The professor's eyes narrowed and he turned his full attention to the younger wizard. "Salazar," he said in a quiet, dangerous tone, "where is my wand?"

The Founder of Slytherin shrugged, almost elegantly despite young body he inhabited. "It is safe."

Severus only continued to glare.

"You should be able to cast a simple summoning spell without aid by now. You've no need for your wand."

Without breaking eye contact, Severus held out a hand towards one of his private lab's storage cabinets. There was only a short pause before two squat jars landed in his waiting hand.

Salazar grinned widely. "And soundless too. ...You must be very angry with me." Despite his last sentence, Salazar's tone wasn't worried or apologetic, just pleased.

"My wand, boy." Salazar was almost surprised Severus had managed to get the words out between his gritted teeth.

"Calm yourself. I told you it was safe." When Severus' glare only turned darker, Salazar sighed and pointed above his own head.

Severus scanned the area with his eyes and found his wand almost immediately, now that he knew where to look for it. He summoned the black piece of wood from the top shelf above the work station, where it had been nestled between jars of potion ingredients.

"That isn't to be repeated," Severus bit out, "Wand theft can land you in Azkaban for five years. Do not give the ministry such an opportunity, Salazar. You know they have been trying to get their hands on you since you arrived."

"It will never happen," the boy answered, his tone bordering on arrogance, "Hogwarts wouldn't allow it to."

"Salazar."

The child shifted uncomfortably and relented. "I shan't do it again. I will refrain from giving the ministry such opportunities."

Severus finally began to relax. "Good."

"I didn't mean to upset you, Severus." When the man only offered a stiff nod in acknowledgement, Salazar decided it was time to change the topic.


End file.
